Why donate to Y Care?

Why donate to Y Care International? What makes us different from other organisations?

• Y Care International is the only international development charity in the UK which focuses on young people, whose needs are often neglected in developing countries.
• Y Care International is part of the YMCA movement, which is the largest youth movement in the world with 30 million members. The World Alliance of YMCAs was set up in 1855, making it the world’s oldest international charity.
• We do not have offices overseas. Instead, we work in partnership with local, autonomous YMCAs, who are close to their communities and are better equipped to help them. 
• Our partner YMCAs are managed by skilled local people and supported by committed volunteers. This means that decisions can be made quickly and money spent effectively. Working in this way also means that we can respond quickly to emergencies.
• We are not scared of tackling difficult or controversial issues because we believe that every young person deserves a chance. Our partners work with the most marginalised young people, including former child soldiers, young offenders and sex workers. 
• We are one of the biggest providers of global youth work in the UK and Ireland, which (as opposed to development education) makes links between marginalised and disadvantaged young people in the UK and Ireland and young people in the developing world. 
• We take youth participation seriously and encourage young people to become actively involved in our international programmes, and in campaigning for a fairer world.
• We are able to lobby decision makers directly through the World Alliance of YMCAs, which has consultative status at the United Nations.